Cervical cap



Oct. 2 1956 E. M. GREENBERG CERVICAL CAP Filed Jan. 26, 1955 FIG. 4

FIG.3

FIG. 5

EMANUEL M. GREENBERG INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent CERVICAL CAP Emanuel M. Greenberg, New York, N. Y.

Application January 26, 1955*, Serial No. 484,143

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-131) This invention relates to a cervical cap and sperm chamber which can be used for the application of local antiseptics when treating infections of the cervix and the uterus. The invention has particular reference to a reliable means for injecting and retaining fluids in the uterus as a means of artificial insemination as the success of both these treatments depends upon the general principle of the retention of fluid in and around the cervix.

The cervical caps now in use comprise a simple cap arrangement with a tube connection through which fluids may be conveyed to the uterus. Such caps are not always eflective because the effects of gravity and the dilution and destruction of vaginal fluids prohibit the adequate and eflicient application of sperm and antiseptic fluids. The present invention comprises a cervical cap with a sperm chamber, the latter insuring the entrance of fluids into the uterus. In addition, the sperm chamber is provided with a plurality of openings and longitudinal channels on the surface so that a reservoir of injected fluid will form at the base of the chamber and by capillary action coat the cervical entrance. An alternate form includes a miniature one-way valve which permits the entrance of the fluid into the uterus and automatically seals the entrance tube to retain the fluid within the uterus for any desired length of time. A wire probe is then used to open the valve and permit the fluid to be drained.

The sperm chamber, with or without attached tube, is fitted into the cervical cap through an opening in the latter. The sperm chamber snaps in and out by simple manual manipulation, only a slight pressure being required.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved cervical cap which avoids one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of prior art arrangements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cervical cap which will insure the entrance of a fluid into the uterus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cervical cap which may be cleaned easily and can be used repeatedly.

Another object of the invention is to enable an operator to control the amount of fluid injected into the uterus such as radio-opaque substances and also to control the time the fluid remains-in the uterus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reservoir of fluid around the cervix so that the entire cervical region is subjected to the eflects of the injected fluid.

Another object of the invention is to insure adequate treatment by a small amount of fluid.

Another object of the invention is to permit artificial insemination when the sperm is borderline or very'weak. The use of the invention prevents spillage and loss of sperm throughout the vast area of the vagina.

Another object of the invention is to produce artificial insemination in animals whereby many females can be enlarged rim 11 at its upper edge.

material such as polyethylene.

treated efiiciently with a minimum amount of sperm to produce positive insemination.

Another object of the invention is the more scientific treatment of female vaginal infections.

The invention comprises a cervical cap for fitting over the exterior portion of the cervix. A sperm chamber is joined to the bottom of the cap and extends through the cervix opening into the uterus. The sperm chamber contains several small openings leading into the bottom portion of the cap and the sperm chamber in addition is connected to a long thin tube which is employed for the entrance of injected fluids.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side view of the cervical cap showing the sperm chamber and the entrance'tube.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the cap shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but using a thin diaphragm instead of the entrance tube.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but including a one way valve at the base of the sperm chamber.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of a cap having two entrance tubes.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the valve shown in Fig. 4 and istaken along line 6-6 of that figure.

Referring now to the drawings the cervical cap includes a main cup portionlil which is terminated by an This portion of the cap fits around the outside of the cervix and retains the cap in operating position. At the bottom of the cap a sperm chamber 12 is fitted into an axial hole 13 to form a fluid-tight joint. That part of chamber 12 which makes contact with the bottom of cup 10 is arranged with a slight groove so that the sperm chamber may be snapped into position after cleaning with assurance that it will remain in fluid-tight operating position during the application of the desired fluids. The upper part of the sperm chamber 12 is designed to be pushed through the cervical opening and has an upper diameter of about one-third that of the base. The sperm chamber is provided with several small openings near its base so that injected fluid which is primarily intended for the uterus may leak through the holes and surround the cervical opening. The fluid which passes through the holes forms a reservoir at the cervical opening and in the case of antiseptics is used to treat the lower part of the cervix and by capillary attraction the upper inside surface of the cervix may be treated for inflammation.

A long tube 14 is sealed to the bottom of the sperm chamber and is used to inject fluids into the chamber and the cap. The tube is closed at its free end as shown in Fig. 2 and the entrance of fluids into the tube is accomplished by the use of a hypodermic needle which is pushed through the side of the tube at a point near the free end and then discharged into the tube and the sperm chamber.

The cervical cap shown in Fig. 3 includes a thin diaphragm 15 made of easily punctured rubber or plastic After the cap is fitted over the cervical opening a hypodermic needle punctures diaphragm [Sand the fluid material is forced into chamber 12 and into the uterus. The diaphragm is self-sealing and the fluids are retained in the uterus until the cap is removed.

The alternate arrangement shown in Fig. 4 comprises a cap 10 and chamber 12 as before, with the addition of a valve 16 which is attached to the base of chamber 12 by any convenient means such as a screw thread 17. The main body of the valve is of cylindrical shape and includes an outer shell 18 and three or more inwardly extending flanges 26. At the base of cylinder 18 is a constricted portion 21 which is employed to seat the entrance tube 14 and which contains a centrally aligned hole 22. Inside the valve housing a spring 23 is mounted between the base of chamber 12 and a stainless steel or plastic ball 24. The ball is resiliently urged by the spring 23 into contact with the top rim of hole 22 and normally blocks the entrance to the sperm chamber 12. The valve may be taken apart and cleaned if necessary or it may be disposed of after a single treatment.

The injection of fluid into the uterus is accomplished by forcing fluid through tube 14, displacing the ball 24, and compressing spring 23, thereby opening the entrance to chamber 12 and the other components of the cervical cap. As soon as the pressure of the entrant fluid is removed, the ball is again seated on the rim of hole 22 and the valve is closed, retaining the fluid in the uterus and cap. When it is desired to open the valve and release the fluid a thin rod-like probe 25 is pushed into tube 14 until it makes contact with the ball 24, removing it from its seat, and permitting the fluid within the cervical cap and the uterus to be drained away.

The cervical cap shown in Fig. is designed especially for antiseptic treatment of the uterus and the entire cervix including its exterior portions. For this purpose the lower portion 26 of the cervical cap is made larger in diameter than the other caps shown. Fluid may be introduced into the uterus by injection through tube 14, as in the other caps. Fluid may be introduced into the base portion 26 by injection through tube 27. The double tube arrangement permits the use of two different fluids and the arrangement may be altered by a Y connection between tubes 14 and 27 to supply a single fluid through both tubes by the use of a single injection plunger.

All the cervical caps are shown in a form which may be taken apart. It is obvious that each arrangement may be made of a single piece.

In Figs. 1 to 5, as shown, the top portion of the sperm chamber 12 is open for easy entrance to the uterus. However, sorne applications of antiseptics, particularly in the treatment of cervicitis, the injected fluid should be confined to the cervix. For these applications, the top of chamber 12 is plugged to prevent entrance into the uterus and the injected fluid enters the lower portion of cup by means of the small holes in the side walls of chamber 12. It will be obvious that the cap shown in Fig. 5 can be used for this purpose by injecting fluid only in tube 27.

In some applications, especially in cases where the cervix is quite small, the upper rim 11 may be made much larger than is indicated in the drawings and made of sponge or foam rubber. This additional material acts to seal the cap against leakage at the upper rim and conserves the injected fluid.

While there have been described and illustrated specific forms of the cervical cap, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the field of the invention which should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cervical cap comprising, a cup-like body made of flexible material with an open top adapted to fit over a cervix, said body having a circular opening formed at its central portion; an elongated hollow sperm chamber of circular cross section removably disposed in the opening, the chamber terminating in a base portion having an annular groove on its outer surface for forming a liquid tight joint in the circular opening of the cup-like body, said sperm chamber having a plurality of openings in its Walls for permitting passage of fluid from the chamber to the lower portion of the cup-like body; and an elongated flexible tube secured to the base of the chamber for the passage of fluids.

2. A cervical cap comprising, a cup-like body made of flexible material with an open top adapted to fit over a cervix, said body provided with a thickened rim portion around the open top and having a centrally aligned circular opening formed at its base; an elongated hollow sperm chamber of circular cross section removably disposed in the body opening, the chamber terminating in a base portion having an annular groove in its outer surface for forming a liquid tight joint in the circular opening of the cup-like body, said sperm chamber having a plurality of openings in its walls for permitting passage of fluid from the chamber to the lower portion of the cup-like body; and an elongated flexible tube secured to the base of the chamber for the passage of fluids through the tube into the sperm chamber, the free end of said tube being closed.

3. A cervical cap for introducing fluids into and around the cervix in accordance with claim 2 in which the base portion of the cup-like body is connected to a second elongated tube.

4. A cervical cap comprising, a cup-like body made of flexible material with an open top adapted to fit over a cervix, said body provided with a thickened rim portion of foam rubber around the open top and having a centrally aligned circular opening formed at its base; an elongated hollow sperm chamber of circular cross section removably disposed in the body opening, the chamber terminating in a base portion having an annular groove in its outer surface for forming a liquid tight joint in the circular opening of the cup-like body, said sperm chamber having a plurality of openings in its walls for permitting passage of fluid from the chamber to the lower portion of the cuplike body; and an elongated flexible tube secured to the base of the chamber for the passage of fluids through the tube into the sperm chamber, the free end of said tube being closed.

5. A cervical cap comprising, a cup-like body made of flexible material with an open top adapted to fit over a cervix, said body having a circular opening formed at its central portion; an elongated hollow sperm chamber of circular cross section removably disposed in the opening, the chamber terminating in a base portion having an annular groove on its outer surface for forming a liquid tight joint in the circular opening of the cup-like body, said sperm chamber having a plurality of openings in its walls for permitting passage of fluid from the chamber to the lower portion of the cup-like body; a one-way valve connected to the base portion of said sperm chamber, said valve including a spherical member resiliently pressed against a valve seat; an elongated flexible tube secured to the base of the one-way valve for the passage of fluids through the tube and valve and into the sperm chamber.

6. A cervical cap for introducing fluids into and around a cervix in accordance with claim 5 in which means are provided for opening said valve to drain fluids from the cervical cap, said means including an elongated probe which fits into said elongated tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 724,913 Montgomery Apr. 7, 1903 2,616,421 Greenberg Nov. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 698,984 France Dec. 8, 1930 

